Defendant stricken; preliminary examination adjourned

A preliminary examination was adjourned Thursday because of a serious illness that’s afflicted one of six members of a family accused of selling K2 and other illegal drugs from the businesses they own in Shelby Township.

Dabish Dabish, 35, of West Bloomfield, is hospitalized after being stricken earlier this week, said attorneys for both sides. Lawyers did not specify Dabish’s illness, but sources close to the case said the defendant suffered a heart attack.

Judge Douglas Shepherd of Shelby Township’s 41-A District Court deemed the illness “good cause” for adjournment, and ordered the parties to return to court for the preliminary examination on May 1.

“We’re going to set this on a clear date where nothing else is going on,” Shepherd said.

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Lawyers from both sides and the judge met briefly before Shepherd granted the request for adjournment.

“For both sides, the prosecution and the defense, it made more sense to adjourn it,” said Layne Sakwa, the lead defense attorney.

Macomb County Prosecutor William Dailey offered no objection to the delay.

Dabish Dabish is one of six family members who face charges of possession and/or delivery of controlled substances, including synthetic drugs commonly called “K2” or “Spice.” Others charged include: Audrick Dabish, 18, David Dabish, 39, and Derick Dabish, 17, all of Sterling Heights; Dedrick Dabish, 31, and Faize Dabish, 63 of West Bloomfield, also are charged.

The sales took place from a Citgo gas station and the Woodstock Smoke shop, both owned by the Dabish family.

The Dabish’s businesses were targets of protests by neighborhood residents last year when news stories began to surface that linked the use of K2 and other synthetic drugs to violent behavior and even death.

At the time of the protests, the drugs were legal. State lawmakers outlawed the drugs last summer, but law enforcement authorities accuse the Dabishes of continuing to sell the substances, and others, after the law changed.

The Dabishes were arrested in December after a nine-month investigation that included multiple law enforcement agencies.

Barbara Buffa, a Shelby Township parent who lives near the Dabishes’ gas station, was present in the courtroom. She said she’s one of several parents monitoring the case closely. Parents have established a Facebook page to keep each other informed, Buffa said.

“It’s close to home,” Buffa said. “I have young children, and we have a couple of people involved in following this whose children have become addicted to the K2 or other blanket drugs. They’ve actually purchased them at these establishments.

“… It’s big. Kids are our future. And this is our community. We need to protect it from this stuff.”